


Tales of Innocence

by Chikabow



Category: League of Legends RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, M/M, accidental russiabooness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 06:24:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10530747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chikabow/pseuds/Chikabow
Summary: Junggyun has what he thinks will be a very boring train ride to do. Gyeonghwan always finds a way to not be bored.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I actually had this on hold for a very long time and I decided to finish it. I hope you enjoy it.

**Vladivostok, March 1916**

 

Junggyun was running late. His baggage slowed him down as he made a run through the front door of the brand new train station.

The Trans-Siberian Railway had been recently completed. Junggyun had Moscow as his destination and subsequently, Petrograd, the imperial city. His heavily accented Russian slowed down the process of buying a ticket. The clerk didn’t seem to care much about Junggyun’s rush.

 

Nevertheless, he did make it into the train. The highly ornamented train (another proof of the Tsar’s mindless spending according to his abundant critics) was spacious and had dozens of private cabins. Finding his wasn’t too hard though, his last minute ticket didn’t allow for much extravagance. In one of the last carriages, he opened the door with the key that he had gotten from the attendant boy at the train’s entrance. The cabin had a big window with the silk curtains hanged to the side and a long seat with hangers above it. On the other side there was a slightly bigger seat that would have to serve as a bed.

 

Junggyun released a sigh of relief. He put away his belongings in the smaller seat, took off his big fur overcoat and sat down, to relax a little from his hurrying. Junggyun opened his handbag and took of a book out, together with a small pouch, from which he took out some rubles putting them in his pocket. He got up and exited his cabin making his way to the carriage where the lounge was to explore the train a little.

 

 There were a number of tables on the left and a bar on the right. The carriage was mostly empty by then. The passengers must’ve been in their cabins or would get on board in the following stations. Junggyun took a seat in an empty booth and placed his book on the table. The snow covered scenery passed by at the amazing speed the train was going at, leaving behind empty tracks and a trail of black smoke.

 

A few hours went by and suddenly the train had reached the next big stop. Khabarovsk. A small number of people got on, but the distraction was short and he was back to his book in no time. The weird Korean letters had earned him some curious looks. A little girl had even asked what it meant. Junggyun answered but not without the disapproving and protective glance of her mother.  He was used to get stared at when he went to other countries so these woman’s actions didn’t occupy his thoughts for much time.

 

 

“A Korean? In this train? That sure was something I wasn’t expecting.” A man sat on the other side of table. The sudden Korean surprised Junggyun. The other man was clearly not Russian. It was nice seeing a fellow countryman amidst the foreignness that was Russia.

 

“I could say the same for you sir.” The mysterious man seemed younger than Junggyun but he kept all the formalities.

 

“It would seem you like classics.” The man said staring at the book cover. “I thought the Japanese government had banned Korean literature.”

 

“We are not in Korea nor Japan are we? May I ask your name?”  Junggyun inquired.

 

“Pardon my manners, my name is Gyeonghwan. May I ask for yours in return?”

 

“Junggyun…”

 

“Well then, Junggyun, I trust we will see each other again.” Gyeonghwan stated leaving to the cabin area.

 

“Wait sir…” Junggyun called out but to no avail. The other’s departure made Junggyun a little disappointed. The man did say they would see each other again so Junggyun guessed he only had to wait.

 

Night had fallen in the meantime and a waiter had asked Junggyun if he wanted to have dinner. He was served a nice dinner and paid a ruble, leaving the remainder kopeks as a tip. Junggyun made his way back to his cabin and closed the door. He got ready to sleep and lied down on the bigger seat. He hadn’t closed the curtains and was able to see the starry sky he loved. Junggyun fell asleep thinking of that strange man and what could he possibly be doing here.

 

***

 

  


  

When the sunlight started peering through the window, Junggyun regretted leaving the curtains open to the side. He woke up slowly, as the sun started to get brighter and brighter. Junggyun dressed himself to look presentable and left the cabin to go to the restroom. After a careful look at the mirror and some minor adjustments, he exited the restroom and proceeded to go to the lounge to get breakfast. Along the way he noticed directions written on the wall. The library caught his eye. “A train with a library?” He thought to himself. That was something he had to see with his own eyes.

 

The book cases were nailed to the walls and the shelves had a railing keeping the books from falling. There weren’t many, after all, it was still a train and not a moving palace.

 

Junggyun browsed the shelves and took out a book with a black cover and capital red Cyrillic letters.

 

“That one is a complete waste of time.” Gyeonghwan alerted startling Junggyun. “I’ve never felt more betrayed by an ending than with that one. It’s obvious the author didn’t know how to end the story.” Junggyun put the book back in its place.

 

“What do you suggest then?” Junggyun asked. Seeing Gyeonghwan again made him hope the man wouldn’t leave so soon again.

 

Gyeonghwan scanned the shelves and took out a small book. “I recommend this one. It is not very lengthy but its complexity makes up for it. Took me an entire afternoon to read and understand it completely.”

 

“I’ll take it then. I’ll trust your choice.” Junggyun stated looking down at the back cover.

 

“I will inquire you about the book later.” Gyeonghwan said before vanishing. Junggyun looked back up from the book to be once again surprised by the man’s sudden disappearance.

 

“I’ll look forward to it…” Junggyun half said half mumbled.

***

 

 

 

The sun shone down and the snow was starting to be less dense. The slightly warmer but still freezing air outside contrasted with the cozy ambience in the train. A Parisian breakfast was served. Another attempt at westernization by the aristocracy and the court, Junggyun thought. Paris was the cultural hotspot before the war after all.

 

He had read some 50 pages of what he had to read before Gyeonghwan decided to pay him another visit. However, that man didn’t leave his thoughts. Why was he on board of this train? Did he have Moscow as a destination or was it a halfway station? He had made Junggyun too intrigued to simply disappear, not that it would be an uncommon behavior.

 

Those questions would get answers soon. By lunch time, when Junggyun was much more advanced in the book, Gyeonghwan sat in the booth.

 

"I see you haven't finished it yet" Gyeonghwan observed making Junggyun look up from the book.

 

"You do like to make random entrances don't you?" Junggyun asked choosing to ignore the blatant provocation.

 

"Unpredictability makes life interesting." Gyeonghwan stated with confidence.

 

"That is one way to look at it. I, on the other hand, prefer to follow a plan."

 

"And what's the plan that's taking you to Europe? That sounds unpredictable."

 

"My job required me to do so." Junggyun explained.

 

"Elaborate on that would you?" Gyeonghwan requested.

 

"I'm a diplomat. The Japanese colonial government chose me to represent the interests of the Korean people in the Japanese diplomatic corps." Junggyun clarified.

 

"Working for the enemy? That sounds even more unpredictable." Gyeonghwan chuckled.

 

"You wouldn't be wrong... But do tell me what is your business in Russia."

 

"I'm a reporter and photographer. Petrograd is boiling with revolutionary spirit. I'm bound to get some great shots there." Gyeonghwan disclosed. "I will leave you to finish the book though." And with this he left again leaving Junggyun with no other option than finishing the book if he wanted to see Gyeonghwan again.

 

***

 

The next day went by incredibly fast. Not a lot of stops, a lot of reading and no sign whatsoever of Gyeonghwan.

 

Junggyun finished his dinner leisurely and left a little tip to the waiter. He then made his way to the little library the train requested another book seeing as he couldn’t return the one he had until he discussed it with Gyeonghwan. This new one was an anthology of small poems and while poetry wasn’t his favourite form of literature he was far from hating it.   

 

At his room, he had gone through a handful of poems when he heard a knock at the door. He looked at the door and then at himself. He wasn’t presentable as he was not planning to leave his cabin again that night but whatever it was at this time, it couldn’t be something that would take long. He opened the door to reveal Gyeonghwan.

 

“Oh, Gyeonghwan, I…” Junggyun stuttered.

 

“I’m sorry, it looks that you were getting ready to go to bed. I’ll leave you to…”

 

“Don’t worry. I was planning on staying up a little while longer to read so I’m in no hurry. What is it that you want to talk about?” Junggyun asked letting Gyeonghwan in. He took the opportunity to enter the cabin and when Junggyun turned to him from closing the door he held out his hand and offered the other man a beautiful vividly coloured flower. Junggyun blushed immediately at the offer and accepted it reluctantly. Why was the other man giving him a flower so suddenly?

 

“The book’s all about flowers isn’t it? So I thought I should bring you one.” Gyeonghwan declared with his typical confidence.

 

Junggyun looked up from the flower in his hand to the Gyeonghwan’s smile, his fluffy auburn hair falling on his forehead.

 

“Thank you…” Junggyun said unsure of Gyeonghwan's intentions. With this he placed the flower on top of said book and made his way to the window, starting to stare at the line where the endless plains met the starry sky.

 

“The main character was really brave… I wish I could be as truthful to myself as she is.” Junggyun confessed. “… And the whole flower aesthetic really adds to it I must admit.”

 

Gyeonghwan went to the window and did the same thing as Junggyun. They stayed like this for a while until Gyeonghwan laid his hand on top of Junggyun’s hand that was resting on the window stool and locked his fingers. Junggyun rapidly looked at Gyeonghwan surprised but he was still staring at the horizon, unbothered. Junggyun went back to staring too. He ended up breaking the contact briefly to turn his hand around and actually interlock their fingers. Their hands fell in between their bodies as Junggyun sighed, resting his head on the Gyeonghwan’s shoulder.

 

“But then… So are you…”

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank TheNorthRemembers for beta-ing most of this fic a long time ago, your efforts are not forgotten.


End file.
